The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1887-07-02
Mrs. Piper.

Mrs. Piper was q widow
"0h, dear me!
This world is not at ALL" she said "the place il
used to bel
Now my poor husband, he was such good man
to provide
never had the leastest care of anything outside
But now,
Why, there's the COW,
constant care, and Brindle's calf used to feed
when small,
And those two Ayrshire heifers that we purchased
in the fall
Oh, dear!
My husband sleeping in the grave, it's gloomy
being here
The oxen Mr.. Piper broke, and four steers two
years old,
The blind mare and the little colt, they all wait
to be sold!
For how am to keep 'em now? and yet how
shall 1 sell?
And what's the price they ought to bring, how
can woman tell
Now Jacob Smith, he called last night, and staid
till nine o'clock,
And talked and talked, and talked and talked,
and tried to buy my stock 3
He said he'd pay higher price than any man in
He'd give his note, or, if I chose, he'd pay the
But there
To let him take those Greet urs off, really do not
dare!
For tits lying world, and men are slippery
things at best;
My poor dear husband in the ground, he wasn't
like the rest
But Jacob Smiths different case if I we-iI 10.
Perhaps he'd wrong o-, the nurse, or cheat me
on COW;
I do not dare to trust him, and mean to answer
NO."
Mrs. Piper was widow
"Oh, dear me!
A single woman with farm must fight her way" I"
said she.
"Of everything about the land my husband al
ways knew;
I never felt, when he was here, I'd anything to
do;
But now, what fields to plow,
And how much hay ought to cut, and just what
crops to sow,
And what to tell the hired men, how can woman
know?
Oh, dear
With no strong arm to lean upon, it's lonesome
being here
Now Jacob Smith, the other night, he called on
me again,
And talked and talked, and talked and talked,
and staid till after ten;
He said he'd like to take my farm to buy it or to
lease
I do declare, I wish that man would give me any
peace!
For, there
To trust him with my real estate I truly do not
dare;
For if he buys it, on the price he'll cheat me
underhand;
And if he leases it, know he will run out the
land;
And if he takes it at the halves, both halves he'll
strike for then.
It's risky work when women folk have dealings
with the men
And so
do not dare to trust him, and mean to answer
mo-"
Mrs. Piper was q widow
ooh, dear me!
Yes have still some mercies left won't com.
plain" said she.
"My poor, dear husband knows, trust, better
world than this
'Twere sinful selfshness in me to grudge him
heavens bliss
So now,
I ought to bow
Submissively to what is sent-not murmur and
repine;
The hand that sends our trials has, in all, some
good design.
Oh, dear!
ones here!
And Jacob Smith, he called last night, but it was
not to see
About the cattle or the farm but this time it was
He said he priced me very high, and wished I'd
be his wife,
And if did not he should lead most unhappy
life.
He did not have selfish thought, but gladly, for
my sake,
The care of all my stock and farm he would con-
sent to take
And, there!
To slight so plain a Providence, really do not
dare
He'll take the cattle off my mind, he'll carry on
the farnh-
haven't since my husband died had such a sense
Of calm!
I think the man was sent to me-a poor lone
woman must.
In such world at this, feel, have some one she
can trust;
And so
I do not feel it would be right for me to answer
mo-"
-Mariau DOu0las. an June CentirU.